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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22647607">Let’s get one thing straight...</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClueingforBEGGs/pseuds/ClueingforBEGGs'>ClueingforBEGGs</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Doctor Who, Doctor Who &amp; Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ace is an ace lesbian, Bisexual Jo Grant, Nonbinary Doctor (Doctor Who), Other, Trans Barbara Wright, Trans Ian Chesterton</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:36:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,190</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22647607</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClueingforBEGGs/pseuds/ClueingforBEGGs</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In all the history of the Doctor’s travels, they’ve never had a companion who’s straight and cis. This may be a coincidence, however, but at least or makes their companions more likely to accept them, even if their from time periods and locations where the majority of people wouldn’t.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart/Mike Yates</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Laundry night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Ian is trans, (so is Barbara, but it’s only mentioned a couple of times), Susan uses She/her (unlike most Time Lords), and the Doctor is a grandparent figure to Ian</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ian and Barbara had a shared secret. Something no other person could ever know. Well, maybe not no other person, but the majority of the population would really, really, not like them if they found out their secret.</p><p>The two of them had been on board a space-time ship for some time now, and trying to keep their identities from the old man who had abducted them was proving challenging, as was hiding it from Susan, a former student at their school who turned out to be an alien who lived in a police box.</p><p>Well, it wasn’t a police box, it just looked like one. It was a time and space ship disguised as one, disguised so well that it was even bigger on the inside. Ian felt a bit like that. Not bigger on the inside, but different on the inside to the outside, and Barbara was much the same way, except in reverse.</p><p>It was Ian’s turn to ‘handle the goods’ as Barbara put it, sneak past the two aliens, who probably wouldn’t understand their identities, as even other humans didn’t, carrying a binder that the two had managed to pick up on an accidental trip to 23rd century Earth, as well as some socks that Barbara kept rolled in to a ball to stuff down her bra.</p><p>He made his way in the direction of the laundry room, careful not to attract the attention of the Doctor, who, as always, was still standing at the console, whilst Susan seemed engrossed in a book.</p><p>‘Ah, Ian, you’re awake.’</p><p>Shit, he obviously hadn’t been sneaky enough.</p><p>‘Is that some washing?’</p><p>Ian glanced at the bundle of clothing in his hands. ‘Err, yes, a vest and some socks.’ He lied.</p><p>The Doctor narrowed their eyes, ‘well, there’s no point in washing them alone, you know! It would only use up some of the water supply. If you wait here, I’m sure Susan can bring you some of our own underwear to wash.’</p><p>Sudan rolled her eyes at them. The Doctor had commented before that she was going through a ‘rebellious nineties’ phase, causing Susan to reply that the Doctor themself was going through a ‘rebellious 400’s’ phase.</p><p>‘No, no, that won’t be necessary.’ Ian said, shifting uncomfortably. </p><p>‘Nonsense, my dear boy!’ The Doctor strode over to him and took the socks and binder before he could protest again. They took one look at it, then glanced at Ian.</p><p>‘Is this yours?’ They enquired.</p><p>‘Err...’ Ian stared at them, panicked</p><p>‘How many do you have?’</p><p>‘One?’ He gulped. This was it, even if the Doctor didn’t realise the use of those particular socks, they would certainly know what the binder was used for</p><p>‘How long do you wear it for?’</p><p>‘Well, as much as possible, really...’ There was no point in him trying to hide it now.</p><p>‘My dear boy! Don’t you know you should only wear this for, at most, eight hours at a time!’</p><p>Ian blinked. ‘You know what this is?’</p><p>‘Of course I do. Susan told me. It’s a... either a binder or a sports bra, Susan, dear, which one was the man one?’</p><p>‘Binder, grandpa.’</p><p>‘She knows what this is!’</p><p>‘Why wouldn’t we? When Susan started to question if neutral language, from your point of view, was fitting for her or not, we researched information on gender identity in every civilised planet from every era of its civilisation.’</p><p>This was too much information for Ian to handle. ‘You mean you’re...’</p><p>Our biology works different, there are certain events under which we... Change... as a result of this, our’ normal’ identity is... Nothing.’</p><p>‘So you don’t mind me-‘</p><p>‘Of course not! Now, let’s try to land somewhere where we can get you another binder, or, better yet, we could aim for breast removal, what do you think?’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The change</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the brigadier finds out about regeneration and its various possible results, whilst Liz is introduced to the Doctor. Also the Doctor kicks things and swears.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yeah, this isn’t going to be in any sort of order, the first doctor one being first was just a coincidence.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘So what you’re saying, Doctor, is that you changed completely.’</p><p>‘Yes, I’ve got a new body, a new life. We call it regeneration, and it’s normally something that happens when we’re near death. I have 13 lives.’</p><p>‘Normally?’</p><p>‘Normally, yes, this time I... My people exiled me.’</p><p>‘So... they executed you?’</p><p>‘I suppose they did.’ The Doctor frowned at that, as of they weren’t sure about something. Was it an execution? Had something else happened? Did they use up a life them or not?</p><p>‘But, if your whole body changes, how does it know what not to change?’</p><p>‘Oh, everything changes, brigadier.’</p><p>‘But... You could... You know?’</p><p>The Doctor didn’t respond, they didn’t know how to respond. They didn’t even know what the brigadier thought they should know.</p><p>‘Whatever it is, brigadier, I think it’s safe to assume that it’s something only humans would know.’</p><p>‘What if you became a woman?’</p><p>‘Why? Have I?’ The Doctor placed a hand on their chest. ‘No, still in a man’s body.’</p><p>‘So you could do it?’</p><p>‘Of course, brigadier... Oh, I forget, you’re human. We don’t really... Have gender, normally. And I suppose that those of us who do, they’re p probably more accepted than I would be on Earth in this century. Stupid spa-’ The Doctor kicked the door of the TARDIS, before groaning in pain, cutting off the Gallifreyan swear word. ‘They exiled me to an era where I have to hide what I am.’</p><p>The Brigadier was slightly confused, but he thought he understood some of what the Doctor had said. Maybe not about Time Lord gender, but he could get them to explain more later. He wasn’t about to kick them out of UNIT, he hadn’t with Captain Yates. ‘But Doctor, you’re an alien, you would have to do that anyway!’</p><p>‘I’m well aware of that, brigadier!’ Snapped the Doctor. ‘This is just another thing, which could have been avoided if they had sent me to another era. Or even another location.’</p><p>There was a knock at the door, which stopped the Brigadier from asking what the Doctor meant by that. ‘That will be Liz. Do I just call you ‘he’ or is there some alien pronoun you’d prefer?’</p><p>‘There is one that I would prefer, but it’s not alien. They.’</p><p>The Brigadier nodded once, before opening the door. ‘Liz Shaw, this is the Doctor, they’ll be assisting you. Or you’ll be assisting them. Knowing them, it will probably be that.</p><p>‘They?’</p><p>‘Yes, they.’ The Doctor informed her. ‘Gender neutral. I think that’s the term you use.’</p><p>‘Oh, that’s alright, I’ll be sure to remember that. I do have one question, though.’</p><p>‘What’s that?’</p><p>‘Doctor what?’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Dance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the brigadier and captain Yates dance. Post The Dæmons. Also word of gay (the commentary, IIRC) says that the Captain is, well, gay. So kinda canon gay character.</p><p>Also, forgive me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think (possibly excluding the extended universe) that it ever says who Kate’s mother is, if she has one, or if/who the brigadier married.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Two chapters in one day because I really have nothing better to do than write in between doing bits of revision.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Care for a dance?’</p><p>‘I think I’d rather have a drink.’ The brigadier responded.</p><p>‘Suite yourself.’ Yates shrugged, before joining the celebrations. He did some ridiculous dance, which the Brigadier watched fondly, a slight smile forcing its way onto his face.</p><p>He may not have been able to see how the entirety of time and space could play out like the Doctor, but he knew that if he went and danced with him, maybe it would be the beginning of-</p><p>‘A relationship?’ The Doctor’s voice interrupted his thoughts, startling him back to reality.</p><p>The brigadier jumped, turning to face the Doctor. ‘I’m sorry?’</p><p>‘You like him, he likes you. As I was saying, you could have-‘</p><p>‘I don’t want to know.’ The brigadier cut them off. ‘Could have what?’</p><p>‘Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. Do I really need to spell it out for you? You could enter a relationship.’</p><p>The brigadier thought for a moment ‘Long term or short term?’</p><p>‘How should I know? There’s too many possibilities. You could stay together until you die, you could date for a couple of months, or anything in between. Although once you pass the 15 year mark, you’ll probably not end it. Until death.’</p><p>If anyone else had said that, then they would have just been pulling random times out of their arse, yet with the Doctor...</p><p>‘In the worst case scenario, do I... Still enjoy it?’</p><p>‘Brigadier, I can’t tell you that. I’m a Time Lord, not a mind reader.’</p><p>‘You said your species was telepathic!’</p><p>‘Well, yes, but I can’t tell you how a possible future you would feel about something, you’ll just have to take the risk.’</p><p>He sighed, ‘If you ever leave UNIT, have you ever considered a caster as a fortune teller, or a rather annoying matchmaker?’</p><p>‘No, but I have considered leaving Earth to go to other planets.’ They grinned at the Brigadier, as he turned back to Captain Yates.</p><p>‘Mike, on second thoughts, I’ll take up that offer to dance. Maybe we can get a drink later, too.’ He called after Mike.</p><p>The Doctor watched the two dance, the possible timelines where the two didn’t get together fading away, one or two at a time. Whilst they watched the current events of the Brigadier and the Captain dancing, they also watched multiple timelines play out, a timeline where the two broke it off quite quickly, the ones where the relationship continued for many years before ending, those where the two adopted a child and had a family.</p><p>As the two of them spun around in circles, in something approximating some combination between a maypole dance and a waltz, the Brigadier glanced over at the Doctor. He smiled at them, yet received no response. In fact, the Doctor didn’t even seem to be passing any attention to them.</p><p><em>Typical</em>. He thought. <em>Why should the Doctor actually care about a couple of humans.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Ace</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>She’s asexual and homoromantic. They’re grey-ace and panromantic. Of course she’d come out to them.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ace is, like, canonically a lesbian. And why call someone Ace if they aren’t ace?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘She was one of the only people I’ve ever wanted to... Do the... Well. You know. The human reproduction thing. Do that with.’</p><p>‘What do you mean, professor?’ Ace asked the Doctor, who responded first with a sigh. </p><p>‘What I mean, Ace, is that I rarely feel that I want to do that thing you do. With the bodies.’</p><p>‘Sex?’</p><p>‘Yes, that one.’ The Doctor laughed. ‘I often feel other forms of attraction to people. But that one... Hardly ever.’</p><p>‘You mean you’re... grey-ace? Demisexual?’</p><p>The Doctor seemed confused. Their eyebrows raised on a quizzical position that rivalled that of their umbrella.</p><p>‘They’re sexualities. Mostly a lack of attraction, attraction only to friends.’</p><p>The Doctor still looked confused. ‘Grey-ace?’</p><p>‘Oh, that’s... That’s rad. Me, I’m asexual.’</p><p>‘No, Ace, I meant what is it, and what does it have to do with you?’</p><p>Ace shrugged slightly. ‘Well, I’m asexual, and I hate Dorothy. So I just, called myself Ace. It’s short for asexual, really. Also means “awesome”.’</p><p>‘So when you say that something’s ace, not only are you saying that it’s awesome, and your name, you’re also saying a sexuality.’</p><p>‘Yup!’</p><p>‘Are there different... Romantic attractions here. On Earth.’</p><p>‘Oh, yeah. Why?’</p><p>‘Well, is there one for attraction regardless of gender? I suppose that would be closer to what I am.’ The Doctor replied. ‘Really, what most my species is.’</p><p>‘Oh, yeah. Probably panromantic.’</p><p>‘And do people have different romantic and sexual... feelings?’</p><p>‘Doctor! You’re talking to me! Of course there is.’</p><p>‘Really?’ The Doctor grinned. ‘I wish I could tell Mr past self that. Even if you humans didn’t have the words back in the 60’s.’</p><p>‘60’s?’</p><p>‘When I first came here. 1960’s. With my grandchild...’</p><p>‘You have a grandchild?’</p><p>‘Yes, she was 97 when we landed on Earth. A teenager, probably about your age, relatively.’</p><p>‘Oh?’</p><p>‘Yes.’</p><p>‘Do you have a picture of her?’</p><p>‘Somewhere, yes, why?’</p><p>Ace shrugged again. ‘Well, to see what she looks like. Have you ever thought of visiting her?’

‘All the time.’ The Doctor sighed, swinging their umbrella slightly, seemingly lost in thought.

Ace glanced around at the alien landscape. ‘Hey, Doctor. Just do you know, it’s girls I like.’

The Doctor mumbled something Ace didn’t catch, quite possibly something in another language. 

‘You know, romantically.’

‘Oh, yes, romantic era, good poems.’

Ace rolled her eyes. ‘You’re not listening, are you?’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Gender</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which I revisit my head canon regarding Susan’s gender as mentioned in the first chapter. Also a kinda study of Gallifrey and its attitude to gender</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I decided to use TT capsules as it’s implied that that’s what they’re called in Gallifreyan, and although the term TARDIS is used by other time lords it was created by Susan, presumably on Earth, after this is set.</p><p>Feel free to make your own conclusions about the Doctor and their mother. I purposefully left it open for interpretation, so if you think she’s human and they’re half human, or they’re both Time Lords, she just had a similar obsession to Earth as the Doctor has, it really doesn’t matter.</p><p>Also tried to resolve why it takes at least 700 years for the Doctor to die of old age in their 12th life, yet the first doctor is in their 400’s and is an elderly man. Again, left this open for interpretation, see above.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She knows she can’t spray to her parents about her feelings, even before she knows she’s a she.</p><p>Parent one may understand, they did one say something about their own parent’s mother, the female term coming as a slight shock to Susan, who had rarely heard something said with the feminine prefix aside from in conversations about the TT capsules, ships travelling in time and space. Living beings, of a sort.</p><p>Parent two would probably laugh at her. ‘Nonsense!’ She could here then say. ‘That’sa old fashioned thing, and besides, you could regenerate into a-‘ the translation broke down there. A Male body, she assumed, would be the closest. ‘How would you feel then?’</p><p>As for parent three, they were one of those people who, more so than parents two, proved that not every Time Lord was accepting of those with different gender identities to the normal lack of identity.</p><p>She thought about telling parent one. So many times she got close to doing it, but panic would take over. She needed someone who would understand.</p><p>She approached her grandparents. Well, one of them. Parent one’s parent. Theta, she’d heard them be called, once or twice.</p><p>‘I need to talk to your mother about something. Where can I find her?’</p><p>They blinked in response, seemingly shocked at the correct use of pronouns. ‘Sorry, she died when I was young.’ They apologised. ‘Her and my other parents loomed me late in her timestream.’</p><p>‘Oh.’ Susan felt something lurch in her hearts. It was irrational, she’d never met her great-grandparents. Her parents only invited over their own parents, it never seemed to go further up the family tree than that. Before she had known it, she’d embraced her confused grandparent in a hug and was sobbing into their shoulder.</p><p>‘Arkytior, what’s wrong?’</p><p>‘You wouldn’t understand!’ She sobbed. ‘I thought she might understand, but - I don’t know who to talk to!’</p><p>‘Hmm... I know somewhere quite quiet. How about we talk about it, you and me, hmm?’ They flashed her a grin, before taking her hand and dragging her down the corridor.</p><p>They stopped and entered a room, the door to which was locked. Inside there were multiple grey cylinders. </p><p>‘That’s mine, a type 60. To new for me, really. I’d like to steal an older one, one day.’ They laughed, as they opened the door. ‘Seems more fun. Though I heard the desktop themes are more... Old fashioned. I could always try and do something about it, if necessary.’ They pulled her inside, and it took her a minute to adjust to the darkness of TT capsule.</p><p>The floor, and the desk around the console, were strewn with mementos from alien planets. Things like pens, some strange exotic writing worn in a line across a piece of paper, like old high Gallifreyan, in fact, maybe that’s what it was.</p><p>‘What is this?’</p><p>‘Research. A collection of... interesting things.’</p><p>‘What are those people like?’</p><p>‘Which ones, this isn’t just one place.’ They pointed to a picture. ‘Those two are in a movie. It’s a recording of images and sounds. Kas-Ah-Blank-Ah.’</p><p>‘What?’</p><p>‘It’s the name of the movie. It’s from Earth. They’re a couple in a relationship. That ones a man, the other a woman.’</p><p>‘You can read that... squiggly line?’</p><p>‘Mother taught me languages. Alien ones. It’s one called... In-Glish.’</p><p>‘She taught you it?’</p><p>‘And two others from the same planet. Freh-Nuch and La-Tin. I taught myself the rest. From, ah-’ and then her grandparent made a story of rumbling sound, ending in a... not quite a hiss, but close. ‘Rrrr-ffff’</p><p>Susan laughed, making her grandparent grin. ‘Now you’re feeling better, mind telling me what’s wrong?’</p><p>‘I don’t feel like... Nothing. I... think I’m like your mother?’ She asked, studying their face.</p><p>‘A woman?’</p><p>‘Maybe, or not, maybe. Something like that. I guess.’</p><p>‘And you’re worried?’</p><p>‘Well, yes. People say we’re... Alright with whatever gender you are, but I feel that’s more... A physical thing.’</p><p>‘As in?’</p><p>‘Well, you’re in your 700’s-‘</p><p>‘Mid 400’s.’</p><p>‘No, you can’t be! Not in your loom body!’</p><p>They shrugged. ‘Maybe something happened, or I just age quickly.’</p><p>‘Well... If you regenerate into a-‘ again, the translation she now knew failed. ‘A female body, then nobody would mind. Some people don’t like it if you actually... Feel like-It’s hard to explain.’</p><p>‘Hmm... Well, granddaughter-‘</p><p>‘No, I don’t think that will work. Just the pronouns.’</p><p>‘Well, grandchild, I’ll make an agreement. Send me a hypericube if you’re ever scared, and I’ll come and get you.’</p><p>‘Get me?’</p><p>‘How would you like to see planets where there’s more than one gender, even the biological ones? Planets where you may learn more about yourself than you’ll ever learn here?’</p><p>‘Can I go there now?’</p><p>They sighed. ‘No, sorry, you’re too young, only just turned 30. I’m not going to take you now. If you were in danger, maybe I would. But, other than that, Wait until you’re at least 70.’</p><p> </p><p>Forty years later a white cube landed on an empty chair in their room.</p><p>‘Grandpa, I know it’s a few months sorry, but I can’t wait any longer. I don’t feel safe here.’</p><p>Within an hour the mess in the console room had been thrown into a bag, the capsule abandoned, an older one, a type 40, stolen.</p><p>The Doctor had some places to take their grandchild.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Regeneration problems</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the Doctor apologised to Peri, and explains regeneration sickness, the mechanics of regeneration, and mentions looms. They’ll probably have some more explaining to do later.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The planet was like a garden. From pole to pole, the mild climate had left a lush green space, filled with alien plants. Peri felt like she was in heaven.</p>
<p>‘Sorry about earlier. I still can’t believe I did that.’</p>
<p>‘What, strangle me?’</p>
<p>‘Ah, but I stopped, didn’tI? It was only an attempted strangle. No long term harm done.’</p>
<p>Peri didn’t respond.</p>
<p>‘There was no long term harm done, right?’ The Doctor asked, softly, an expression of concern in their face.</p>
<p>‘No, I guess not.’ Peri smiled.</p>
<p>‘I am sorry.’</p>
<p>‘You said you couldn’t remember doing it.’</p>
<p>‘And I couldn’t. I can’t. But I obviously did.’</p>
<p>‘Why did you do it, then? You seemed convinced- you thought- Why would I be an alien spy?’</p>
<p>‘Well... You are an alien.’</p>
<p>‘What?’</p>
<p>‘Alien. You are one. I... Must have thought you were a spy. That’s the problem with regeneration.’</p>
<p>‘What, you might start standing people?’</p>
<p>‘Well, yes, but more... I don’t know how each one will affect me. As a person, physically and... everything.’</p>
<p>‘Well, at least you know some of what you’ll have.’</p>
<p>‘Oh, yes, of course I know I’ll have hearts, brains, lungs, kidneys... Am I forgetting some organs?’</p>
<p>‘Plenty.’ Peri smiles at them. ‘And I was thinking of something else.’</p>
<p>The Doctor raised an eyebrow. ‘Not an organ then?’</p>
<p>‘Well... I think it is. You know. Reproductive thing.’</p>
<p>The Doctor seemed to mouth a single-syllable word, confused.</p>
<p>‘You know.’ She prompted. ‘Reproductive organ.’</p>
<p>‘They’re not called organs, Peri, they’re looms.’</p>
<p>‘You call your... bits... Loom? I’ve heard men call that multiple things, some of which are ridiculous, but that one takes the cake.’</p>
<p>‘Oh! You mean a...’ The Doctor made a gesture.</p>
<p>‘Yes, that!’</p>
<p>‘Well, how would I know what bits I’ll end up with!’</p>
<p>‘Because...’ Peri tried to think of an explanation. ‘They don’t change, do they?’</p>
<p>‘They can do. Haven’t so far.’</p>
<p>‘You could be a woman?’</p>
<p>‘No. I could be in a female body- it- regeneration. Changes everything. I’m a new person now.’</p>
<p>‘You are?’</p>
<p>‘Yes, Peri, I am. My experiences have combined to make a new person, In still the Doctor, and stone things won’t change, but yet I’m... A new Doctor.’</p>
<p>‘So if you regenerated into the opposite sex, then you’d still be the Doctor. Still use the same pronouns.’</p>
<p>‘Most likely, yes. It’s more like I’m borrowing that body for a bit. I doubt I’d become a woman.’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Missy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the master, during their brief time as a companion, talks about their gender, and Bill asks about Gallifrey.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘You might like it, Theta.’ Missy said ‘Being a girl.’ She added, smiling slightly. Experimentally she tried to initiate contact with the Doctor, yet their mental barriers blocked it like a wall of ice, causing her brains to recoil. She was just trying to express something that there was no equivalent for in English, And a very difficult concept even in spoken Gallifreyan.</p><p>‘Theta? My names Bill, and you know they’re the Doctor.’ Bill rolled her eyes. ‘And I already am a girl, thank you for noticing.’</p><p>‘It’s their nickname. Theta. And they’re really missing out. You’ll like it, Theta.’</p><p>‘Theta? As in, the letter Theta.’</p><p>‘Yeah, sorry, long time ago.’ The Doctor glanced in her direction. Or at least appeared to, those silly sonic glasses they wore made it hard to tell. ‘School nickname.’</p><p>‘Oh...Kay...’ Bill drew our each syllable. ‘So... Aliens have school. Learn something new everyday.’</p><p>‘Well, of course, that’s the point of school!’ Missy interjected, as the Doctor mumbled something about not learning much.</p><p>‘But back to my point, I know I felt... Different. In a good way. Well. When I look back at my past I still feel like that was... Well, I was a man then, am a woman now. Being a Time Lady this time makes sense, to me. I feel... Female.’</p><p>‘What were you when you were a skeleton, then? Did you identify as a bag of bones?’ The Doctor asked. ‘Actually, you were a skeleton twice! Before you found that other body and got a new regeneration cycle.’</p><p>‘A what?’ Bill gestured at missy. ‘She was a skeleton? Bones? Literal bones?’</p><p>‘What about that snake possessing a man’s body? And the cat?’</p><p>‘You- You-‘ Bill just glanced between the two ‘OK, firstly, what? Secondly, a cat? You can regenerate into animals? Do you even look like this normally? Do you really look like, I don’t know, some sort of squid thing, but you decided to be human?’</p><p>Missy rolled her eyes, ignoring Bill ‘Snake? It’s called a death worm morphant for a reason, Thete, it’s a worm.’</p><p>‘What about the cat?’ Bill asked. ‘And the skeleton.’</p><p>‘I was not a cat. I was... Well, I was a... cat. A man cat. Cheetah, actually. And that was a very different thing, mxster If-we-fight-like-animals-we-die-like-animals. And as for the skeletons... Well, it was hard to tell, really. I think they were men, one definitely felt like it, the other maybe felt feminine. Maybe. As for the worm... I think the less said about that the better.’</p><p>‘Can I just ask something?’ Bill asked</p><p>‘Aside from what you just asked? Yes, go on.’ Missy sighed, glancing at the Doctor, trying to initiate contact again just to comment on their most recent choice of companion. Ice greeted her again.</p><p>‘Do you... Really look like this, naturally.’</p><p>Missy laughed. ‘Yes, obviously! You’re humanoid species.’</p><p>‘But are you?’ ‘Yes, actually.’ The Doctor leaned in. ‘Actually, we came first. It’s... Complicated. Some people did some, err, not so good things. That’s why there’s a lot of humanoids.’ ‘But you call yourself humanoids? Why, if you cave first?’ ‘Because that’s the English term for looking like a human.’ A few minutes passed, with Bill asking questions about language, culture and history, before Missy felt the Doctor’s mental blocks drop a little.</p><p><em> Overall, I’m like you, though.</em>She said, before the ice slammed against her brains again, shoving her out.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Perfect timing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Jo courses the perfect time to come out, and the Doctor is tied to the ceiling.</p>
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    <p>They’d set the trap to catch anyone sneaking into their lab whilst they were gone, such as the Master. Unfortunately, they’d forgot that they needed a way in able out of their lab, which had led to the current situation.</p><p>The Doctor swung from their legs, tied to a rope, which was attached to the ceiling. Their current position had lead to their blood rushing towards their head, nearly causing them to black out. As it was, they clung to consciousness, instead swearing in every language they knew.</p><p>‘Spak! Fuck! Schiesse! Putain!’ They yelled, as they raised and lowered their eyebrows in the Delphonian for... Well, some swear.</p><p>‘Everything alright, Doctor?’</p><p>They looked up, or down, actually, to find Jo staring at them.</p><p>‘Oh, yes, just hanging out.’ They said. ‘Practising flying.’</p><p>‘So you don’t want me to get you down.’</p><p>‘Err, actually, that would be lovely, Jo.’</p><p>‘I’ll get a stepladder, you wait here.’ Jo replied, before running off.</p><p>‘What else am I supposed to do?’ They yelled after her.</p><p>Jo returned about five minutes later, where she started to untie them. Then she suddenly stopped.</p><p>‘What is it, Jo?’</p><p>‘Doctor, I have something to tell you.’</p><p>‘Oh no.’ The Doctor sighed. ‘You can’t get me down, can you?’</p><p>‘I can.’</p><p>‘The Brigadiers here, isn’t he?’</p><p>‘No, just us. I just have to tell you something.’</p><p>They sighed again. ‘Alright, get in with it.’</p><p>‘I think I’m bisexual.’</p><p>There was a pause. ‘And?’</p><p>‘And that’s it.’</p><p>‘You’re telling me now?’</p><p>‘Yes.’</p><p>‘Whilst I’m tied to the ceiling?’</p><p>‘Seemed like it’s as good a time as any.’ She finished untying them, causing the Doctor to drop towards the floor.</p><p>They managed to right themselves as they fell, and then their descent seemed to slow down, as if they really were flying.</p><p>‘When you said you could fly...’</p><p>‘I’m practising it.’ The Doctor answered, wobbling slightly before falling the rest of the way, yelling in Gallifreyan.</p><p>Jo laughed. ‘That was great flying, Doctor.’</p><p>‘Yes, well, congratulations.’</p><p>‘On freeing you?’</p><p>‘No, well, yes, but on discovering who you are.’</p><p>‘Oh- er, thanks.’</p>
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